Last Updated: Thursday, December 18, 2014

European Parliament has approved a total of €126.7 million in EU aid to help Italy, Greece, Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia and Bulgaria cope with the aftermath of natural disasters in 2013 and 2014, European Parliament has mentioned in a press release issued on December 17, 2014.

Extreme rainfall and severe flooding had affected the Sardinia, Italy in November 2013. An emergency was declared after cyclone Cleopatra in Sardinia claimed lives of at least 18 people.

In the same period, Slovenia suffered some of the worst winter blizzards for decades. Almost half the country’s forests were damaged by ice, which in turn brought down electricity lines, leaving homes without power.

As the weather system moved on, it hit neighboring Croatia, in particular, in the northwest and parts of the Adriatic Coast. Melting ice led to floods that caused additional damage.

In May 2014, severe weather hit eastern Croatia, causing floods. The same rains caused the worst flooding in neighboring Serbia.

The European Union Solidarity Fund (EUSF) was set up in 2002 to help EU member states and countries preparing to join the EU that are hit by major natural disasters and express European solidarity to disaster-stricken regions within Europe. Italy and Germany have been the leading beneficiaries of these emergency funds, European Commission December report updated this December has mentioned.